Building systems include security systems, fire safety systems, and comfort control systems, also known as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Such systems, particularly in large buildings, can include thousands of components, such as controllers, valves, ventilation damper boxes, ductwork, sensors, and air handing equipment. Defining all of the elements of a building system during the construction phase of a building can be a complex task. For example, a building system may employ many valves of different types, sizes, and configurations. A system designer often must select from hundreds of commercially available valve options for the various valve requirements of the system. Such a task can be time consuming.
To assist in the ordering of components such as valves, software systems have been developed that allow the user to select components for purchase by allowing the user to define requirements of the parts, and then providing the user with suggested available components from a database. One of the drawbacks of such systems, however, is that they are primarily text driven, and consequently present a non-intuitive, cluttered display.
There is a need, therefore, for a component specification and selection system that provides a more intuitive interactive experience.